East Suffolk Council
Assistant Planner
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Job Description
East Suffolk Council, East Suffolk House, Melton, Woodbridge and Riverside, Lowestoft
£25,598 to £42,839 per annum
Band 4/7 (SCP 12 to 32)
37 hours per week
Permanent
East Suffolk Council is an exciting place to work and a great place to make a real difference to people’s lives, delivering vital services to a quarter of a million people across East Suffolk. We currently have an exciting new opportunity to join the East Suffolk Development Management Team as a Trainee / Assistant Planner.
This career grade opportunity offers entry at Trainee Planner, Assistant Planner, or Planner level, depending on your qualifications, skills, and experience as outlined in the Person Specification. For candidates joining at Trainee or Assistant level, the role provides a clear development pathway towards becoming a fully qualified and chartered Planner, with support to achieve Chartered Membership of the Royal Town Planning Institute (MRTPI).
Key Responsibilities
This is an exciting opportunity to develop a successful career in Planning while working towards a recognised professional qualification. The successful candidate will be supported to undertake an RTPI-accredited Planning Master's degree, gaining the knowledge, skills and experience required to achieve a full professional Planning qualification and progress within the service.
- Manage a varied caseload of planning applications, ranging from householder and minor developments through to more complex proposals.
- Provide pre-application advice, engage with applicants, developers, agents, consultees and legal representatives.
- Work collaboratively across Council services to deliver high-quality development outcomes.
- Undertake site visits, assessing applications, preparing delegated and committee reports, drafting decision notices, negotiating planning obligations, presenting at Planning Committee, and supporting planning appeals and enforcement investigations where required.
- Provide professional planning advice to internal stakeholders, supporting Members and colleagues, responding to public enquiries, and ensuring accurate record keeping in line with established procedures.
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Requirements
We are looking for a motivated and enthusiastic planning professional with experience working in a planning-related environment within either the public or private sector. You will have a strong understanding of planning principles and practice, including experience that supports progression towards, or achievement of, Chartered Membership of the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI). A sound knowledge of planning law, planning policy, development management, enforcement matters, planning appeals and associated legislation will be essential, together with an understanding of environmental assessment processes and the challenges facing both urban and rural communities.
- Confident in managing a varied workload and analysing complex information to produce clear, accurate and well-reasoned reports.
- Strong problem-solving skills, sound judgement and the ability to think logically and analytically are key requirements for this role.
- Excellent communicator, comfortable engaging with a wide range of stakeholders including elected Members, applicants, developers, external agencies and members of the public.
- Proficient in the use of Microsoft Office applications and ideally have experience of planning and document management systems such as Uniform and IDOX, along with knowledge of GIS.
- Capable of working independently with minimal supervision while also contributing effectively as part of a collaborative team.
- Strong organisational skills, the ability to prioritise competing demands and a commitment to meeting deadlines are essential.
Qualifications
Applicants should hold, or be working towards, the qualifications required to access or achieve RTPI membership, depending on the level of appointment. This may include an undergraduate degree in a relevant discipline, a planning-related master's qualification, Student or Licentiate RTPI membership, or full MRTPI status. Above all, you will demonstrate a commitment to continuous professional development and supporting the learning and development of others.
Why Work for Us?
- Great opportunities for training and development
- Generous leave entitlement (equivalent to 24 days a year, increasing to 30 days after 5 years’ service, plus bank holidays)
- Local government pension scheme
- Free car parking (for when you are working in the office)
- Discounts on mobile phones, computers, holiday and travel, fashion and clothing, health and beauty and many other products and services.
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Most of our teams are working in an agile way, with a mixture of home and office working, depending on individual preferences and service requirements. If you wish to discuss how that might impact your working arrangements if you were the successful candidate, please contact the recruiting manager listed at the bottom of this advert.
How To Apply
Step 1 - Read the advert and the Job Description and Person Specification
Step 2 - Complete the Supporting Statement template. Your statement needs to indicate how you meet each of the criteria contained within the Person Specification. Please use the template provided (other formats will not be accepted).
Step 3 - Complete the online application and upload your statement. Please note, CVs are not accepted.
For an informal discussion regarding this post, please contact Steve Milligan via Steve.milligan@eastsuffolk.gov.uk
Closing date: 11.30pm, Sunday 1st November 2026.
Interview date: Week Commencing 16th November 2026.
For more information, check out the How to Apply section of our Career Site.
About Us
East Suffolk Council is an exciting place to work and a great place to make a real difference to people’s lives, delivering vital services to a quarter of a million people across East Suffolk.
We hugely value our staff and know that in order for us to remain successful, it is essential for us to recognise talented employees, developing and retaining them within the organisation. We are therefore committed to investing in our staff and providing first-class support to ensure a positive culture and rewarding careers.
To find out more about why we are so proud of East Suffolk Council and to hear why our employees think it is such a great place to work, take a look at our video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TSWedQksWt0
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